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    9027.50.80

    Other

    This code covers instruments and apparatus for physical/chemical analysis, measuring, or checking, particularly those using optical radiation. Use this code for items like spectrometers and thermal analysis tools, benefitting from generally free duty under standard trade agreements, as detailed within Chapter 90.

    Other

    Detailed information for HTS Code 9027.50.80

    AI Summary

    This code falls within the chapter covering optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus. Specifically, 9027.50.80 covers other instruments and apparatus using optical radiations—ultraviolet, visible, or infrared—for physical or chemical analysis, measurement, or checking. Further breakdown exists with subdivisions for chemical analysis instruments (9027.50.80.15), thermal analysis instruments (9027.50.80.20), and other unspecified instruments (9027.50.80.60); choose the suffix that best describes the specific type of instrument being reported. These statistical suffixes provide more detailed reporting on the types of optical instruments imported.

    ChapterChapter 90 - Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instrume
    SectionSection XVIII - Optical, Photographic, Cinematographic, Measuring, Checking, Precision, Medical or Surgical Instrume

    Duty snapshot

    Quick reference for the duty outcomes tied to this HTS line.

    General Duty

    Free

    Standard trade partners (NTR)

    Special Duty

    N/A

    Eligible FTA or preference programs

    The general duty rate for HTS code 9027.50.80 and its subdivisions (9027.50.80.15, 9027.50.80.20, and 9027.50.80.60) is Free, meaning no duty is assessed on eligible goods. A special rate is not specified, but eligibility for preferential trade agreements (FTA) or other preference programs may provide reduced or zero duty rates if the goods meet the rules of origin requirements. There are no report units specified for this code. Therefore, duty is generally free unless specific FTA or preference program qualifications are met, and no unit reporting is needed.

    Rate of Duty (Column 2): 50%

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    Code subdivisions

    9027.50.80.15

    Instruments and apparatus for physical or chemical analysis (for example, polarimeters, refractometers, spectrometers, gas or smoke analysis apparatus); instruments and apparatus for measuring or checking viscosity, porosity, expansion, surface tension or the like; instruments and apparatus for measuring or checking quantities of heat, sound or light (including exposure meters); microtomes; parts and accessories thereof: > Other instruments and apparatus using optical radiations (ultraviolet, visible, infrared): > Other: > Other > Chemical analysis instruments and apparatus

    9027.50.80.20

    Instruments and apparatus for physical or chemical analysis (for example, polarimeters, refractometers, spectrometers, gas or smoke analysis apparatus); instruments and apparatus for measuring or checking viscosity, porosity, expansion, surface tension or the like; instruments and apparatus for measuring or checking quantities of heat, sound or light (including exposure meters); microtomes; parts and accessories thereof: > Other instruments and apparatus using optical radiations (ultraviolet, visible, infrared): > Other: > Other > Thermal analysis instruments and apparatus

    9027.50.80.60

    Instruments and apparatus for physical or chemical analysis (for example, polarimeters, refractometers, spectrometers, gas or smoke analysis apparatus); instruments and apparatus for measuring or checking viscosity, porosity, expansion, surface tension or the like; instruments and apparatus for measuring or checking quantities of heat, sound or light (including exposure meters); microtomes; parts and accessories thereof: > Other instruments and apparatus using optical radiations (ultraviolet, visible, infrared): > Other: > Other > Other

    Chapter & section notes

    Chapter notes

    Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States Revision 29 (2025) Annotated for Statistical Reporting Purposes CHAPTER 90 OPTICAL, PHOTOGRAPHIC, CINEMATOGRAPHIC, MEASURING, CHECKING, PRECISION, MEDICAL OR SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS AND APPARATUS; PARTS AND ACCESSORIES THEREOF XVIII 90-1 Notes 1. This chapter does not cover: (a) Articles of a kind used in machines, appliances or for other technical uses, of vulcanized rubber other than hard rubber (heading 4016), of leather or of composition leather (heading 4205) or of textile material (heading 5911); (b) Supporting belts or other support articles of textile material, whose intended effect on the organ to be supported or held derives solely from their elasticity (for example, maternity belts, thoracic support bandages, abdominal support bandages, supports for joints or muscles) (section XI); (c) Refractory goods of heading 6903; ceramic wares for laboratory, chemical or other technical uses, of heading 6909; (d) Glass mirrors, not optically worked, of heading 7009, or mirrors of base metal or of precious metal, not being optical elements (heading 8306 or chapter 71); (e) Goods of heading 7007, 7008, 7011, 7014, 7015 or 7017; (f) Parts of general use, as defined in note 2 to Section XV, of base metal (Section XV) or similar goods of plastics (chapter 39); however, articles specially designed for use exclusively in implants in medical, surgical, dental or veterinary sciences are to be classified in heading 9021; (g) Pumps incorporating measuring devices, of heading 8413; weight-operated counting or checking machinery, or separately entered weights for balances (heading 8423); lifting or handling machinery (headings 8425 to 8428); paper or paperboard cutting machines of all kinds (heading 8441); fittings for adjusting work or tools on machine tools or water-jet cutting machines, of heading 8466, including fittings with optical devices for reading the scale (for example, "optical" dividing heads) but not those which are in themselves essentially optical instruments (for example, alignment telescopes); calculating machines (heading 8470); valves or other appliances of heading 8481, machines and apparatus (including apparatus for the projection or drawing of circuit patterns on sensitized semiconductor materials) of heading 8486; (h) Searchlights or spotlights of a kind used for cycles or motor vehicles (heading 8512); portable electric lamps of heading 8513; cinematographic sound recording, reproducing or re-recording apparatus (heading 8519); sound-heads (heading 8522); television cameras, digital cameras and video camera recorders (heading 8525); radar apparatus, radio navigational aid apparatus and radio remote control apparatus (heading 8526); connectors for optical fibers, optical fiber bundles and cables (heading 8536); numerical control apparatus (heading 8537); sealed beam lamp units of heading 8539; optical fiber cables of heading 8544; (ij) Searchlights or spotlights of heading 9405; (k) Articles of chapter 95; (l) Monopods, bipods, tripods and similar articles, of heading 9620; (m) Capacity measures, which are to be classified according to their constituent material; or (n) Spools, reels or similar supports (which are to be classified according to their constituent material, for example, in heading 3923 or section XV). 2. Subject to note 1 above, parts and accessories for machines, apparatus, instruments or articles of this chapter are to be classified according to the following rules: (a) Parts and accessories which are goods included in any of the headings of this chapter or of chapter 84, 85 or 91 (other than heading 8487, 8548 or 9033) are in all cases to be classified in their respective headings; (b) Other parts and accessories, if suitable for use solely or principally with a particular kind of machine, instrument or apparatus, or with a number of machines, instruments or apparatus of the same heading (including a machine, instrument or apparatus of heading 9010, 9013 or 9031) are to be classified with the machines, instruments or apparatus of that kind; (c) All other parts and accessories are to be classified in heading 9033. Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States Revision 29 (2025) Annotated for Statistical Reporting Purposes XVIII 90-2 Notes (con.) 3. The provisions of notes 3 and 4 to section XVI apply also to this chapter. 4. Heading 9005 does not apply to telescopic sights for fitting to arms, periscopic telescopes for fitting to submarines or tanks, or to telescopes for machines, appliances, instruments or apparatus of this chapter or section XVI; such telescopic sights and telescopes are to be classified in heading 9013. 5. Measuring or checking optical instruments, appliances or machines which, but for this note, could be classified both in heading 9013 and in heading 9031 are to be classified in heading 9031. 6. For the purposes of heading 9021, the expression “orthopedic appliances” means appliances for: (a) Preventing or correcting bodily deformities; or (b) Supporting or holding parts of the body following an illness, operation or injury. Orthopedic appliances include footwear and special insoles designed to correct orthopedic conditions, provided that they are either (1) made to measure or (2) mass-produced, entered singly and not in pairs and designed to fit either foot equally. 7. Heading 9032 applies only to: (a) Instruments and apparatus for automatically controlling the flow, level, pressure or other variables of liquids or gases, or for automatically controlling temperature, whether or not their operation depends on an electrical phenomenon which varies according to the factor to be automatically controlled, which are designed to bring this factor to, and maintain it at, a desired value, stabilized against disturbances, by constantly or periodically measuring its actual value; and (b) Automatic regulators of electrical quantities, and instruments or apparatus for automatically controlling non-electrical quantities the operation of which depends on an electrical phenomenon varying according to the factor to be controlled, which are designed to bring this factor to, and maintain it at, a desired value, stabilized against disturbances, by constantly or periodically measuring its actual value. Additional U.S. Notes 1. For the purposes of headings 9001 and 9002, the term "opticallyworked" refers to glass the surface of which has been ground or polished in order to produce the required optical properties. 2. For the purposes of this chapter, the term "electrical" when used in reference to instruments, appliances, apparatus and machines, refers to those articles the operation of which depends on an electrical phenomenon which varies according to the factor to be ascertained. 3. For the purposes of this chapter, the terms "optical appliances"and"optical instruments" refer only to those appliances and instruments which incorporate one or more optical elements, but do not include any appliances or instruments in which the incorporated optical element or elements are solely for viewing a scale or for some other subsidiary purpose. 4. For the purposes of this chapter, the term "printed circuit assembly"means goods consisting of one or more printed circuits of heading 8534 with one or more active elements assembled thereon, with or without passive elements. For the purposes of this note,"active elements" means diodes, transistors and similar semiconductor devices, whether or not photosensitive, of heading 8541, and integrated circuits of heading 8542. Statistical Notes 1. For statistical reporting purposes under subheading 9001.10, the unit of quantity "fiber m", as it pertains to optical fiber bundles and cables, is determined by multiplying the number of individual fibers contained therein by the length in meters. 2. For the purposes of statistical reporting number 9025.19.8010, “clinical infrared thermometers” are devices designed to be used to check the body temperatures of humans and animals. Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States Revision 29 (2025) Annotated for Statistical Reporting Purposes XVIII 90-3

    Section notes

    SECTION XVIII OPTICAL, PHOTOGRAPHIC, CINEMATOGRAPHIC, MEASURING, CHECKING, PRECISION, MEDICAL OR SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS AND APPARATUS; CLOCKS AND WATCHES; MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; PARTS AND ACCESSORIES THEREOF XVIII-1 Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States Revision 29 (2025) Annotated for Statistical Reporting Purposes XVIII-2 Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States Revision 29 (2025) Annotated for Statistical Reporting Purposes

    Latest update

    Last updated

    November 15, 2025

    Revised every January & July

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